The Story of MSENGENI Community

The community of Msengeni was first discovered by Hands at Work in 2014. In early 2015, Hands at Work began to mobilise local volunteers from a few churches in Msengeni to care for the most vulnerable children in their community. These Care Workers have united together to care for these children, bringing parental love and care.

Children currently supported: 100

Number of Care Workers: 9

Coordinator Name: THEMBI

Distance from Oshoek Local Office:145 KM

Basic Services Started: 2015

In August 2015, provision was made by the Community Based Organisation (CBO) in Msengeni to provide the 3 Essential Services for the most vulnerable children. Today, 100 children are provided with a nutritious meal, access to education and basic health care. The Care Workers dedicate their time and energy to serving these children and supporting them, offering love, care and a sense of belonging. They sacrifice their time to regularly visit the children in their homes and to build strong, trusting relationships with them. Visiting orphaned and vulnerable children in their homes is the foundation of everything Hands at Work does. This enables them to support each child physically, emotionally, and spiritually and helps them to accurately assess each child’s needs and make a plan for how to best intervene and provide sustainable care for them.

The massive drought and food crisis is a huge problem and burden on the families in Msengeni. Clean water, if any at all, is not easily available. If you walk into the community you will discover that it’s common to find people who have not eaten for two to three days. Thankfully, Hands at Work has been recently trucking water into the community and has supplied three water filters to Msengeni CBO to help filter out bacteria. Msengeni CBO recently increased the number of children they are caring for from 50 to 100 children in July 2016. With the help of Hands at Work, drought relief activities have been put in place to provide each of these children with extra support. Breakfast is now provided to children before they go to school, and children receive a hot, nutritious meal, seven days a week. Clean drinking water was also purchased for the CBO to give to each child every day, and water filters were placed in the community. Those sick with Bilharzia are taken to the clinic when necessary to be treated.

MORE UPDATES FROM MSENGENI COMMUNITY

“Every year, the Methodist church in the small town where we live organises a charity event for the young people in their congregation. It is a good opportunity for these young people to aid a charity which involves gaining a deeper insight into the charity, doing a fundraiser and creating artwork that represents what they have learned about the charity. This year, the church chose to focus and raise support for Hands at Work in Africa. We started off the evening by going down to the river and each of the youth collected two containers of water to carry up to the church. Once we had finished collecting water, we shared with the youth about the water situation in Msengeni Community, Swaziland. We told them about the challenges that people faced in the communities in Africa and how that compares to their lives. Then they built shelters out of cardboard to sleep in on Saturday night. On Sunday morning, the youth had the opportunity to share with the church congregation about their experiences and what they had learned.”

David and Jane Newsome, International Office Volunteers, UK, reflect on an event that was held to raise funds and awareness for Hands at Work.

Often women are the only caregiver in the home. This requires them to provide for their families and still care for their children.

At the Msengeni Care Point, there is a playground for the children to use. Many times, children are put in positions requiring more maturity than would be expected for someone of such a young age. A Life Centre gives children the freedom to play, laugh and smile. It provides them with a safe place where they can be children.

100 of the most vulnerable children in Msengeni Community receive a daily hot and nutritious meal, access to education and access to basic health care.

Meet Alberto

Twelve-year-old Alberto* grew up alongside 15 children, his father and his 4 wives, and 2 grandmothers. Having a large family means having many mouths to feed, and the challenge to find enough food for everyone is unattainable. Alberto often would not get enough food to fill his belly at home. Alberto and his siblings also struggle with going to school. They do not have uniforms and often are chased away from school and mocked because of this. Albertoand 2 of his siblings were first welcomed into Msengeni CBO, but recently 9 others were added and began receiving a hot, nutritious meal each day, relieving part of the burden from his grandmother’s shoulders. Care Workers also began visiting Alberto’s home regularly, encouraging them and bringing the love of Christ to the family.

The Hands at Work office in Oshoek currently supports six Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Msengeni. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.

MORE FROM SWAZILAND

From March 1st – April 16th, join the Hands at Work family around the world as we pray for 40 Days on behalf of the most vulnerable children in Africa and our work to support them. Thandeka represents one of thousands of children being cared for by volunteer Care Workers across the communities Hands at Work supports. Read her story and join us in prayer by downloading the 40 Days of Prayer Guide.

Care Workers are the key in bringing healing and transformation to the lives of our children. They are men and women from the local churches within our communities who recognize their Biblical mandate and answer their call to care for the most vulnerable children. They demonstrate what it means to give freely, love unconditionally, and sacrifice everything. Often, Care Workers face their own traumas and live in dire poverty, just as the children they care for do, but their determination to persevere and care despite their own circumstances challenges everyone they come into contact with. They are greatest in the Kingdom of God!

Nokuphila is a seven year old girl. This desperately poor community struggles from a lack of clean, accessible water and, at times, impassable roads. There is also virtually no employment within the community. Her aunt immediately moved into the home to help care for Nokuphila and her disabled mother when her father passed away. With no job and no income, simply surviving was a constant struggle.

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Nurses for Africa sends teams of nurses from North America to Hands at Work in Africa for two weeks. They provide much needed clinics in our communities where there is little medical care available or accessible. They teach the #PrimaryCaregivers and #CareWorkers basic health care so that they can support the vulnerable that they are caring for. They do amazing work in helping to bring relief to those who are suffering from malaria and other diseases. ⠀
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Pray for the Nurses for Africa teams who are coming in 2018. Ask God to open their hearts and minds to what He wants to do in and through them while they are in Africa.

"I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into when I went to the gathering, but I was looking forward to learning about what it meant to advocate for Hands at Work. What I wasn't expecting was to be completely challenged while I was there. I wasn't expecting God to touch my life in the way He did. This weekend has challenged me to make some changes - not just in the way I advocate for the most vulnerable - but with my home life too. One of the big things that stood out for me from the gathering is leaving a legacy and what that means. I realised that my role as a mom is really important and that I need to make sure I'm passing the love of Jesus and God, and the work that we are doing in Africa, to my kids.”⠀ - Nicole, International #Advocate (#US) ⠀
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When people come to Africa, many of them experience Jesus in new and profound ways and bring back a seed of hope to their home country. At the end of last year, advocates of Hands at Work in the US gathered for a weekend of seeking God’s heart as they discern how to faithfully plant that seed and grow it across the US.⠀
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"But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant." – Matthew 20:26⠀ ⠀
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#Scripture #ChristAsOurFoundation

FRIDAY | Going Deeper is one of our four rotating Friday meetings. It is a time of teaching from members of the Hands leadership to help refocus ourselves on Christ and His calling for us. The teaching is based upon our Core Values and the Biblical foundations of who we are.⠀
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Thank you for joining us this week!

THURSDAY | Individuals are invited to join a time of prayer. Where they can come and intercede on behalf of others and share prayer request for themselves.

WEDNESDAY | The Hands Community is broken into smaller groups who meet, share and fellowship in various homes. These groups exist to deepen relationships, facilitate spiritual growth, and create a safe environment for individuals to share openly.⠀
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#Family

TUESDAY | All ladies come together to commit their personal and global needs to God and praise Him for answered prayer. This is a time to minister to one another and to experience growth as different ladies take turns leading.⠀
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#Pray

The whole community meets together to commit the week and our work to God in prayer and to spend time together. Small groups take turns facilitating, focusing on what they feel is important for our family at that time through the use of scripture, prayer, and worship. We also spend part of this time on family announcements: celebrating birthdays, praying for those traveling, and communicating news. Monday mornings are more than just prayer meetings – they are family time!⠀
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This morning we were praying for our children and #CareWorkers in Matsinho Community, #Mozambique.

Gathering together on a daily basis is an integral part of the community of Hands at Work in Africa.They are where smaller communities are knit closer together and individuals begin to look out for one another. The Hands Community is built on the foundation of Christ and we are called to express our worship, prayers, and faith together as a community. ⠀
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This week, join the Hands at Work community as we gather together. ⠀
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#Community #Worship

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40 Days of Prayer is an active reminder of our brothers and sisters in Africa, and the connection we have. Often, in the busyness of life I lose sight of who gives me life. Sometimes I wonder, why does God allow some things to happen? ⠀
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Through prayer and meditation, I’m reminded of this: it’s not our circumstances that define us, but how Christ continues to help us overcome them. As I prepare for 40 Days of Prayer, God continues to challenge me to remember others who are suffering and ultimately, Christ’s suffering on the cross as I reflect on scriptures like: ⠀
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“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” ⠀
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Taylor Kim, International #Advocate (#US) reflects on the upcoming 40 Days of Prayer.

Join us in 40 Days of Prayer for Africa's Vulnerable Children and Hands at Work from February 14th to April 1st 2018.⠀
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#Pray

Our vision for #LifeCentres are for them to be a place of life and encouragement to the most vulnerable children. When international volunteers visit, they play a part in this vision.

#HolyHomeVisits are essential to the Hands at Work vision of a Life Centre. A home visit is beneficial, not just in assessing and understanding the external needs, but in spending quality time with a child and his or her family, therefore bringing them value and worth. Home visits may carry a high personal cost of time, emotion, and energy, but like the gospel, they bring transformation.

"When volunteer Care Workers from the Temitope Community Based Organisation and the Hands at Work local office team in Lagos, #Nigeria met Abigail*, she was a severely malnourished 3 year old who had difficulty walking. Due to the consistent care and love of the Care Workers, today she's a different child."⠀ ⠀
Dan Waspe, International Volunteer (#UK)⠀
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Meanwhile in Africa: Season 3⠀
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Join us on Monday, January 29th, for the first episode of season 3! Every Monday, listen to George Snyman, co-founder of Hands at Work, share a new 3 minute message about serving the poor in Africa. Link in bio.